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cutaneous lupus and shingles vaccine

Hello,
my mom was just diagnosed with "skin" lupus, not systemic yet. She got the shingles vaccine on march 21, 2013 and on march 23 she started a rash that has continued to get worse and spread though being treated with various creams, steroids and antihistamines. local not-docs said definitely not shingles because is on both sides of her body... finally got her to go to dermatologist who did biopsy that has shown she has cutaneous lupus. the dermatologists blood work also showed her thyroid antibodies are very high. have there been any reports of lupus happening to others who took the vaccine? she is absolutely miserable with severe burning, itching and blistering of skin and we are unsure where to go from here. what type of specialist does she need to see now? rheumatologist, endocrinologist or ? she was already having a lot of health issues (no appetite, colitis returned, etc.) i'm very scared for her and we appreciate any advice anyone can give.

Hi Grannysnamesake:
Welcome to our family. I am sorry to hear that your mother is suffering so much. Was she not referred to a doctor after getting the results of her biopsy? I am surprised that the dermatologist did not prescribe medication for her after the biopsy result. Generally, the first line of treatment for cutaneous Lupus is some type of antimalarial drug, such as Plaquenil. This is a cumulative medication and can take weeks to months before she will see any significant results, as such, topical corticosteroids are often also prescribed. For many, this combination works well, it just takes time for it to do so.

I don't know what type of medical coverage she has, but it would appear that, with the biopsy results, it might be beneficial for her to see a rheumatologist and an endocrinologist. She might even want to see a dermatologist - but I think that the rheumatologist might be able to deal with the issue of treating her cutaneous lupus.

It is important that your mother avoid direct sunlight, heat, and fluorescent lighting as exposure can worsen her condition. If she must go outside, it is very important that she use sunscreen (50 SPF or higher to protect from UVB and UVA) and that she wear clothing that keeps her body covered. It might also be helpful to her to always wear a hat as well as sunglasses. Also, it is important that she avoid any undue stress as it will also worsen her symptoms and may bring about new symptoms.

Please let us know how she is doing and I wish you both the very best.